Oath
by Sombereyes
Summary: Romance on the battle field isn't acceptable up in the heavens, where the power of love can become a dangerous thing. Despite the odds, two goddesses, who made vows to protect and serve heaven, must now cast such a promise aside. What oath could possibly be made in return? -one shot-
1. Oath I

A/N: This is a Skuld/Lind fan fiction, so, if you don't like the idea of two women sharing a romantic relationship, don't read it…it'll likely stray far left from cannon, since I don't believe Skuld/Lind is actually a very realistic pairing, even if my diminutive little mind wants it to be that way. I might do an actual, full length story for their paring one day, but for now, I just wanted to play with the idea a little bit, and see what I could come up with.

I don't own Ah! My Goddess.

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**Oath**

"I am the goddess, Skuld. I swear allegiance to heaven's grace, heaven's council, and heaven's honor, upon which, I stake my life. Through the valor of the doublet, I will uphold the creed set forth by this blade, and the forbearers, who dictate that a life shall equal a life. I will uphold the sanctity of that agreement, and will not kill, knowing that if I were ever to shed needless blood in the name of heaven, I would also spill heaven's own. I am a warrior, guided by my betters, and my uniform grants me utmost protection. In return for this gift, I repay you with my servitude. I shall cast all of which I covet aside, to take the blade, and the barracks as my home."

It made Skuld laugh bitterly. "What a farce." She muttered, to herself. She could recall when she made that oath, the promise to all in heaven…now, it seemed stupidly simple to hate the oath, and the subsequent rules.

Romance on the battle field…it was never acceptable.

The barracks was in a haunting and uneasy harmony, riddled with whispers of transgression. They were best left stifled by something, or someone. Yet, no one would fall for the intimidation tactic. The gossip was too juicy, too tempting, too raw. Still, she could hear the echoes, and it was unbecoming of her status. She brought her fingers to her lips, as she gazed at herself in the mirror. Even the community bathroom was not free from the murmurs.

Skuld gave a shaky breath, wondering idly, if she was alone due to her unbecoming actions. In any case, it didn't matter. Skuld was sure that there was no going back…no reversing what she had done. No forgetting what she had tasted, what she had felt. No forgiving herself for being so weak. For not seeing it all before.

The white and blue heavenly uniform meant so little now, though it hugged her form in the same way that it always had.

Adorn with metals, and tested by hard battle, it had protected Skuld well over the years of servitude…alas, she feared those day were coming to a sinfully abrupt end. It was ironic, that war didn't bother her, that death didn't frighten her…and even an eternity sealed in a container, making useless inventions for the rest of her life, seemed much more preferable than being stripped of her rank…

Or failing that, losing the respect of her unit.

They were very lifeblood, after all. She felt as if she might not be able to breath without them. Her sisters to the core, brides of battle, in service to the almighty heavens, and the council that so governed the holy lands. She couldn't stay here any longer…she had to leave, because she was terrified of this rather odd pattering that drummed away in her heart. One that even she could admit, was unexpected…yet, not unwelcome. In times of great distress, there was only one place she could go. One home nestled on earth, that would ease her addled mind…

…not to mention, Belldandy understood this feeling, having grappled with its complexities in the past. She would know what to do, she was the obvious conclusion to Skuld's unanswered questions. The youngest sister didn't delay.

She was the Norn of the future, fated not be as beautiful as her sisters, her body would not age beyond a particular point…at least, not while Yggdrasil remained in proper working order. Still her mind, and her abilities would grow, just as any other goddess would. Skuld was not exempt from the laws all goddesses had to abide by, and yet, she would also struggle for her adulthood in ways, that regrettably, many others would never have to suffer. In many ways, it had worked to Skuld's advantage, but this odd pattering, was not such a case.

Skuld had grown, even if she hadn't appeared to be the adult that she knew, without a doubt that she was. Heaven was a strange place, with odd creatures, programs, and even ideology. Some gods and goddesses were born under very specific guidelines, and Skuld was among them. It made it difficult for her, and yet, she often didn't complain. There wasn't much she could really take issue with, not while creation enjoyed a quiet and peaceful time.

Having joined the valkyries, she was a warrior well respected. In her prime as both a fighter, and a woman…well, for her programming at any rate. Yet, no one cared to look at her. When they saw her, they took sight of a commanding officer, an intelligent, bright goddess, who could easily command her unit with a will of iron, and tactics that went unmatched by foes. Why shouldn't she be so skilled? She had been trained by one of the best, forged by the fighting goddess renown for her abilities, and her twin angles.

First class, special operations license, unlimited, the goddess Lind.

Now, it wasn't that heaven didn't have quite the plethora of oddities, because, frankly speaking, heaven was one large paradox after another. It was rather that such predicaments weren't spoken about, so, when valkyries were deployed, it was hushed. Spoken only in whispers, least that walls had ears perking at such delectable news. Skuld was lucky when it came to that. Belldandy would often be brought up in murmurs, jealous goddesses coveting what she had, and gods coveting the goddess herself. Urd was the talk of heaven on any given day, and it wasn't uncommon to hear the blather of the gossip mill.

Skuld was the lucky one. Fortunate enough not to come up in conversation…at least, not usually.

She very rarely visited earth anymore, but, as soon as her little secret slipped out, Skuld found herself quite terrified. Reverting to a comfort of her past, she cowered behind her older sisters, most notably, the first class goddess. "Do you hate me?" The youngest Norn asked, having been led to the table that had been armed with tea, cookies, and ice cream upon her arrival.

Belldandy swallowed hard, Skuld and Lind had committed a grave offense. "You should not have gone against the teachings." Belldandy said slowly. "You know the rule about romance among the ranks." Bluntly speaking, it was a crime punishable by a revocation of licenses. "When you joined the valkyries, you swore an oath to the heavens. Having sworn the oath with great honor and dignity, you must uphold that creed."

Skuld sighed. "That doesn't answer my question, big sis." The youngest Norn awaited distasteful remarks that didn't come forth. "You do hate me, don't you?"

The middle Norn merely shook her head, denying the claim with all of her heart. "No, Skuld, I could never hate you." Belldandy replied carefully, she was also awestruck at the news that had trickled into her ear. "There will be a harsh reprimand, I'm sure, but it is to be expected." Skuld was indeed the talk of heaven, but, not the good kind. "Things will return to normal eventually, I promise."

"Do you really think so?" As part of the valkyries, Skuld knew how just how word traveled, and how prone it was to continual stirring. "Do you really think everyone will just forget about it?" They themselves often spun tales best left unspoken, and far more gruesome than truth, merely to protect heaven from itself. Now a twisted tale was turning about herself, and, much to Skuld's dismay, it was entirely true.

"Well, Skuld, it isn't every day someone gets caught necking Lind." Urd said with a soft, understanding smile. "Things will cool down, but, for now you might want to lay low." As if a secondary thought snuck into place, she smirked. "I don't really mind one way, or the other…but is it true that you and Lind have been playing around?" Urd trailed off, leaving the question hanging in the air.

"Urd!" Belldandy scolded. "Please, use discretion."

"That was using discretion." Urd balked. "What? Did you want me to ask the juicy details, like if the carpet matched the drapes?"

"That isn't any of your business!" Belldandy fired back, her own idea of modesty getting the better of her. "We shouldn't talk like that." Belldandy said, her cheeks tinging pink. "It's uncouth." Urd loved to pry into such matters, but this was one thing that Belldandy desired to keep at arm's length.

"If they did do something like that together, they may face a charge that might include a few hundred years in a vessel." Urd crossed her arms, as Belldandy nodded. They all knew that was a common punishment. "So, Skuld did you sleep with her, or not?"

Skuld just sighed. "No, we haven't done anything like that." She mumbled bitterly, not entirely sure where that rumor came from. "We haven't had any time to ourselves. Besides, we're bunked four to a room. Even if we thought to try something like that, we wouldn't dare try." The mere lack of privacy alone made such an act impossible. "When I find out who said that…" Skuld could only bite her lower lip, it really didn't matter anymore.

"Lind is alright, isn't she?" Belldandy asked then, worried for her good friend.

"Father send her on deployment." Skuld said sadly. "I wanted to wait for her to come back, but, he told me not to wait for her return. It's almost as if he's trying to keep Lind away from me."

"I see." Belldandy said slowly, with a soft utterance that almost sounded like a chastisement of her father. "He mist have a good reason." She forced herself to say, finding that to be the only truth she could come to.

"You know, I almost feel bad for him." Urd said, even though she put her hands on Skuld's shoulder to soften the blow. "Misfortune always hangs over his head. Especially when we're involved."

"Whatever for? I didn't realize the star gave him any ill will." Belldandy asked, missing the point entirely. "Lind is a wonderful goddess, I'm sure their love must be pure. This must just be due to their personal transgression, and little more. Surely, they'll be forgiven." As much as the first class goddess wanted to have an open mind, it was clear in her voice. She was worried, and quite upset. "She wouldn't lead Skuld along…would she?" Belldandy was still trying to convince herself of that fact.

"That isn't what I mean." Urd shook her head, sipping on the sake she preferred, forgoing the tea. "Our father has three daughters, and not one of them are conventional. My origins aside, he hasn't had an easy time coming to terms with any of us." With a bitter smirk, she shook her head. "I dated a plum tree spirit, you're bedding a mortal, and little Skuld here chose a woman." It was almost funny…almost, but, not with Skuld so down. "None of us chose a proper god as a mate…you can't say that any of us share a normal, heavenly relationship. Being in love with a goddess, as a goddess, well it does have a few disadvantages when it comes to equipment…unless one of you decides to reform your basic structure to include the other set."

Skuld wasn't in the mindset to fight back with Urd, and merely colored a deep crimson, and ducked behind Belldandy. "No." Skuld sniffled. "We weren't planning on doing that."

"Must you be so crass?" Belldandy gaped, putting her hands to her face to avoid broadcasting her shock at the audacity of her sisters for continuing this topic. She leveled her eyes at Urd. "What are you going to do next, suggest that this shrine become a den of iniquity?"

"Now there's a thought." Urd jibbed, causing Belldandy to be further mortified. "You and Keiichi have had a bit of a dry spell recently, haven't you?"

"Oh for heaven's sake…" Belldandy muttered, suppressing the urge to cast a wind spell at Urd. "Would it do you any harm, any at all, to have a sense of propriety?" Just because immortals could alter their gender at will, and as often as they might desire, it didn't mean that it was widely discussed. "This is no time to be joking around." In fact, that was also a taboo topic among many circles.

"Lighten up, Belldandy." Urd said with a shrug. "You can't say this isn't a long time coming. If it hadn't been Lind, it would have been some other god or goddess." Then Urd scowled in an unhappy thought. "Or, even a demon."

Skuld hated to say it…hated to compare herself to her sisters, who were far more beautiful than she could ever hope to be. "What god would look at me, Urd?" Skuld asked, having reached her cutoff point. She was shorter than her sisters, her breasts smaller, her looks forever to hold youth…if she would glance around the earth, she looked about sixteen at best…and even that was pushing it. "My looks aside, I don't hold a candle to any of you…and, I uphold a dangerous job. No god within his right mind would want a woman who shares his battle field."

Urd and Belldandy sighed. They couldn't argue with Skuld's logic…she was seen as an official, a commander, a good friend, and maybe even a drinking buddy…but never a romantic interest.

"Don't put yourself down so much." Keiichi finally said, the graying man having heard enough of the banter to simply make him confused. "You're a goddess, right? That's enough, you don't need to change who you are." When three sets of eyes looked up at him, he shrugged. "People meet up and get married in the military. It happens on earth all the time."

"If only it were that easy. This is a little more complicated than that, I fear." Belldandy said tentatively.

"Isn't it always?" Keiichi asked as he grabbed a few more cookies from the center of the table. "If you love her, Skuld, then who cares what anyone else says about it."

"I would…anyone with half a brain would, for that matter." Urd said then. "Our father tends to be heavy handed."

"Don't remind me." Keiichi said, turning a little pale.

"You need to realize, heaven has a strict law." Urd explained to him. "Those who join up with the valkyries can't share a romance with other warriors within heaven's command. As a goddess, Skuld's powers comes from her feelings of love…so just imagine how powerful a warrior could be, if the person of her affections were hurt, sealed, or worse?" Urd shook her head. "It's for the safety of the unit that love doesn't get in the way…but Skuld isn't interested in a mere grunt…she's in love with Lind."

That entire idea left a foul taste in Belldandy's mouth. "Skuld, I must admit some reservation." Belldandy weighed her words carefully. "It isn't that I'm unhappy, but, to have chosen Lind…" Addled, she shook her head, trying to come to terms with this in the best way that she could. "Lind's a wonderful goddess, but, a warrior at heart. I wonder if she could ever settle down for long enough to stand by the side of anyone. God or goddess."

"We've heard the stories." Urd said, giving Belldandy a look to indicate that wasn't a helpful thing to say. "But, maybe you should tell us what actually happened up there."

A long suffering sigh slipped from Skuld's lips. She knew what Belldandy was saying, and had even come to the same conclusion herself. Even so, her heart was a hard thing to convince of mere logic. With Urd looking at her expectantly, she decided to answer her question. "We were deployed for a few weeks on a rescue mission, but…" Skuld sighed again. "Guys, I don't know how it happened, but I know it did." Skuld looked away from her older sisters, finding the rings on the table amusing to look at. "We just started talking more often about silly little things. Eventually, it just ended up that we…were in the corner of the barracks…"

Belldandy didn't want to hear any more, and Skuld couldn't seem to say it clearly. "Alright, I suppose this can't be helped. If you love her, you love her. That's a truth that cannot, and should not be denied." Belldandy said, her voice a gentle severity, the way it always seemed to get when trying to guide the youngest Norn. "Stay here for a while, Skuld." Belldandy instructed a bit uneasily. "Let things in heaven cool down. I'm sure that whatever chatter is going around isn't meant to be spiteful, but, it is quite a shock."

A large gust of wind beat harshly upon the house, as the sound of deft feat hit the ground. It wasn't a moment later that the door slid open. "Skuld." Lind greeted, her stoic eyes offering a withdrawn kindness that she didn't often possess. "You've been well, I hope." Lind looked haggard, and frayed…as if she hadn't slept well, and had faced harsh battle.

"No, I haven't." Skuld didn't hide her pain, nor her eagerness to hide herself within Lind's embrace. "It's been horrible up in heaven." She lunged for the warrior before her, clinging on, as if life depended on it.

"So I've heard." Lind's voice was soft, methodical as always. She took pride in always being two steps ahead. "Tyr's unhappy, and the counsel disapproves." She might have seemed cold when compared to other, much more flighty goddesses, but Lind was solid and unwavering. She closed her eyes, her fate had been placed before her on a platter of detached yet distinct sadness. "He's threatening to restrict my license."

"He must be quite angry then…" Belldandy said with a deep frown.

"I'd say he's taking this rather well." Urd shrugged mildly. "He could do worse."

"Don't jinx it." Keiichi muttered.

"He can't do that to you." Skuld replied.

"He can, our liaison breaks regulations." Lind explained coolly, running her fingers through Skuld's dark mane of hair. "Protocol states that we're not supposed to trouble ourselves in romantic affairs." Reporting it so casually might have made her seem uncaring, but her actions crushed the tone of her words. "You can see how this would be an inconvenience." Then Lind addressed the elder sisters in the room. "It troubles the council more that Skuld hides down here, away from the scrutiny. Tyr's also in a mess of trouble for keeping her in hiding, I'm afraid."

"It won't be the first time we've gotten him into trouble. Our family is known for it." Urd said mildly. "If anyone asks, I'll just take responsibility about it too, say that I demanded Skuld come here for a visit. They're used to my antics."

Lind held up her hand. "No need." Skuld had calmed down, but had not let go of her, truthfully, Lind didn't want her to. "I've already taken in the matter on my shoulders. I was the goddess who trained Skuld, I will be the goddess who takes the blame for any of her transgressions."

"You can't do that!" Skuld said, alarm in her voice.

Lind only offered the younger woman a sad smile in return. "May we talk?" She asked gently.

"Yeah." Skuld said, a bit nervously with a tinge of pink on her cheeks. "Come on, my room is this way."

It was when Skuld was finally out of sight that Belldandy's shoulders slumped in defeat. With a deep breath, she put her elbows onto the table, giving her a place to rest her head in her hands. "I know that first class goddesses can't tell a lie." Belldandy said to her eldest sister. "Yet, even so, I desired the wish to be true. I was hoping that Peorth was just confused…or, maybe just seeing something that looked off, somehow."

"Is it that big of a shock?" Urd asked, not particularly bothered one way or the other. "Your own love life isn't exactly normal either, you know." At the look of Belldandy's discomfort, Urd bit her lip. "Is it because Lind's a woman?"

"It's because she's a warrior." Belldandy said with a sigh. "It's because Skuld has chosen to be with someone that, as she well knows, lives a dangerous life." She felt tired, and bothered in more ways than one. "I don't mind that Skuld might be inclined to be with the fairer gender, but, if that's the case, why not find a nice domestic goddess?"

"You mean, find someone like you." Urd said, understanding her sister's lament.

"When you say it like that, it sounds completely out of context!" Belldandy didn't even have words for the trouble thought that it brought, so she merely shivered. "Lind is in a line of work that faces many challenges. She may get sealed, or worse on any given day. She even risks death, because she's in the special operations category."

"A domestic goddess would not suit Skuld." Urd said knowingly. "Though, I don't know if Lind can fill that role either, I'm not about to go sticking my nose into that relationship."

"That's a first." Keiichi muttered under his breath.

"Well, if you want Lind chasing you around with that weapon of hers, be my guest. I like having myself put together in one piece." Urd replied, to which Keiichi just quietly sipped his tea, her point duly noted. Urd went back to tending to Belldandy's worries. "Belldandy, you had to have felt it…Lind was different, but in a good way."

"Lind is very protective of Skuld." Belldandy agreed. "I could sense it in her very being, and it reflected deeply in her eyes."

"Then, that's all that matters." Urd said, standing from her place.

"I suppose you're right." Belldandy agreed, though she couldn't chase away her vexation.

…

Their relationship wasn't something many had easily taken notice of. In fact, most of heaven had foreseen it as a young apprentice worshiping her tutor, as was customary for a pupil to do. At first, even the others in the division noticed only that Lind seemed to soften around Skuld, and that the young goddess seemed to blush under scrutiny…and, as most in the division knew…it was not easy to undergo Lind's gaze.

They thought little of it…they had no need to ponder.

For the two lovers in question however, they recalled things quite differently. Like their first encounter with the rather discomforting feelings. It had been in an empty training yard, after a day of combat drills all but sapped the life from them. Skuld could still recall the bed of gravel that she had crashed in, and the soft eyes that loomed over her in a quiet study. It was those selfsame eyes that could become as cold as steel, or as hot as fire…but, at that time, they remained only cool and calculative.

The second time was several years later, in a grassy knoll after an assignment. The doublet system had almost taken them both, as a bloody battle got out of hand. The bath in the stream to wash of the remnants of the fight, did nothing to soothe the pain within their souls. Without really meaning to, they found themselves tangled in an unsure and hesitant embrace. Fighting their way through awkward kisses and barely there confessions. That was alright for the both of them, because if they were being honest, they had no intention of promising anything more than that.

They would gift no more than the occasional sideways glance, or the impromptu kiss when no one was looking. They wanted warmth, not a commitment…it went against their oath after all, and they had their pride, if nothing else.

Their third encounter with bizarre feelings came several years after that, an argument and a heated kiss grasping the better of them during a rather trying case within the special operations unit. It was that kiss that announced them. It made Lind's attraction apparent, and Skuld's love far more than merely a student fawning over her teacher. It was also the one occurrence that got them into trouble, but, since they were already toying with fire, Lind saw fit to set the embers ablaze into an inferno.

The council would not be happy to know that she arrived on earth, instead of the barracks.

"My sisters are close by." Skuld forewarned, collecting herself after the kiss that Lind had surprised her with not moments before. She sighed when Lind wrapped her arms around her.

Lind nodded, her knees buckling as they both fell to the floor in a crushing hug just as sought after, as the soft lips that could make Lind feel at peace…and she dearly wanted peace. Her mind was done with fighting, done with another mission that was threatening to mentally destroy her. Lind cast a dull look to the door at her back. "So they are." She agreed with little more than a passing interest. "This bothers you?"

Skuld colored pink at that, looking away shyly. "Urd has a really bad habit of barging in on people without warning."

Lind gave a mild scowl at that, casting a barrier about the room that was defensive enough to keep people from simply walking through the door. "Better?" Lind asked, cupping Skuld's cheek tenderly.

It was a tiny nod, but there all the same. "I missed you, Lind." Skuld murmured, leaning in to kiss the woman again, melting into the older goddess's stoic, but loyal embrace. It was quiet for once, there were no whispers here, no prying eyes, or rules to govern them. It was a comfort given to them on stolen time, and Skuld pulled away, trying to calm her uneven breath and quell her racing mind. "What are we going to do?"

"I am going to do the same thing I always do." Lind replied without missing a beat. "I'm going to protect heaven with my very life. If the council has a problem with that, then there isn't much I can do about it." She leaned in again, offering a small smile. "I can't force you to do the same." Lind said then, hopeful, but not forceful. "Skuld, I…I don't want to let go of my license. I don't want to stop being in the special operations, but the rules say that lovers can't join on the battle field, or share the same certification."

"Then I'll relinquish mine." Skuld said, unhappy about the idea, but willing to do so.

Lind shook her head. "No." She was unwilling to hear Skuld speak of such things. "You've worked too hard, come too far. You have a unit you have to look after Skuld, that's got to come before anything else." Lind swallowed, hard. "Even us."

"I will always put my unit before anything else." Skuld said with a quiet heat in her tone. "Even before my own life. I would die for my division." Skuld believed that with all of her heart, but, deep down, she also knew the truth. "But Lind, I would live for you." Skuld pulled out her license, her thumb conjuring just enough fire to set the maddening thing ablaze. "I won't put my unit at risk." Skuld said. "I won't let my mind get clouded by worries that I can't prevent."

The card was ash in her hands, and it slipped through her fingers. "I'll do what's best for my unit, and also what's best for us. I swear by that."

"I understand." Lind said with a nod of her own. One that had been a long time coming. She had been unwilling to admit it, but she cared deeply for Skuld. A goddess of war that she was, such a feeling was rather new to her, and her inexperience intimidated her. "I have been summoned. I will beg for the forgiveness required, and pray that they grant me my own form of happiness." Lind was hard pressed to allow herself to think of the worst possibility, but she forced herself to consider such complexities. "You will stay with your sisters." Lind said softly in the form of an order. "The only way I can keep you safe in my absence, is to place faith within them."

…

She was unsettled by the domestic ways of the mortal realm, the earth was not a place she took comfort in. Yet, here she stayed regardless, sleeping in a sitting positing, right outside of Skuld's door, her weapon embraced in her palms, ready to strike. Battle was her comfort, the barracks was her world, and Lind found her sleep unrestful, and instead nightmarish. On the blue planet, she found no solace.

Lind could tell, that unlike Skuld, she could find no rest here…even if she did have lifelong friends she could draw comfort from.

That thought made her sigh, and she could tell by the soft breath that she could sense in the area, that another occupant was just as unsettled. "I've no intention to abandon her." Lind said, knowing it was only a first class goddess who could conceal her form so perfectly. That Belldandy seemed like merely the element of air, in and of itself, was pure skill.

"You are a combat goddess." Belldandy said, materializing her form out of thin air. "There will be times you will be unable to stand at her side, times when she will be forced to wait for your return. She even risks a day when you will not."

"We all share that possible fate." Lind replied quietly. "Even your own mortal, Keiichi, is little more than a mere question of such time. It ticks away, without reluctance, nor with the care of how depraved it really is." The war goddess licked her lips, faintly recalling how many times she'd tasted blood upon them. "It is fitting this way." Be it her own, or that of an enemy, she could still taste the iron and salt. "If my end does come, she will not have to watch me die."

"I can't possibly condone that." Belldandy said sadly.

"I will count on you, and Urd, to look after her in my steed." Lind replied, her eyes stony with the truths of her reality. "Skuld is strong, and I've no doubts, that one day she would have surpassed my skill level." Lind even thought that Skuld could still become so powerful, one day long from now. "However, I do not trust her skill to keep her whole. Combat is nothing without comrades."

"What will become of the two of you?" Belldandy murmured, a distant, angry glance in her eyes.

"Who knows?" Lind replied quietly, taking her weapon in hand. "I'm due back to the heavens, so I will do as I am told. I can only pray I'm given mercy for ignoring the vow I made."

"Do you love her?" Belldandy asked.

Lind stood quietly, unable to find words. "I'm a goddess of war." She finally managed to mutter, conflicted by saying even that.

"Do you love Skuld?" Belldandy pressed on. "Please, Lind, say that you do."

Wordlessly she frowned and called out her angels. She wasn't sure if she could appease Belldandy or not, but, she surely didn't want to provoke the ire of the Norn. When Spear Mint and Cool Mint began floating at her side, Lind took a feather from each one, tying them together, freezing them into pure ice. It was a spell that would never allow the feathers to melt, not even in the hottest inferno.

"I am the goddess, Lind. I swear allegiance to heaven's grace, heaven's council, and heaven's honor, upon which, I stake my life. Through the valor of the doublet, I will uphold the creed set forth by this blade, and the forbearers, who dictate that a life shall equal a life. I will uphold the sanctity of that agreement, and will not kill, knowing that if I were ever to shed needless blood in the name of heaven, I would also spill heaven's own. I am a warrior, guided by my betters, and my uniform grants me utmost protection. In return for this gift, I repay them with my servitude." She put the ring into Belldandy's hand.

"You missed a line, Lind." The first class goddess said quietly.

Lind shook her head. "No, I didn't...I won't cast Skuld aside." Lind said with a small bow. "No matter what may come of it, you have my word. I will return to her side one day."


	2. Oath II

A/N: I decided to expand upon the idea just a little but more, as I really do think Skuld is a wonderful character that is often overlooked, or misrepresented as a complete and total brat. Truth be told, in the early parts of the series, she can be. Later though, she really turns into a well-rounded character.

After much thought on the matter, this is going to turn into a one shot series, though, I'm sure updates will be sporadic at best, as I have other focuses…anyway, I hope you enjoy this second installment…

**Oath II****  
**_Heaven's parable, waiting is worse than any foreseeable purgatory._..

Mortals often complained in prayer, begging for a better lot in life. They acted as if it was so easy, that giving everyone an easy time of things would upheave the very foundation that creation sat upon. Mortals were too dimwitted to truly understand the greater creation, as their lives ended far too early to gain any real insight.

However, if they did live longer, or were particularly wise, they understood that life was a very delicate balance that would never truly be understood...and, that fate had whims, fickle though it could sometimes be.

There were times that life was simply a harsh mistress, and it mattered not who or what you were. Gods, goddesses, demons, spirits, and even low class immortals could not escape the wrath of fate. It was a twisting road full of pitfalls, and most who were given longevity in creation accepted the difficulties as tests of their true innermost character.

However, if this was one such test, it had clearly gone on long enough. At least, that was Belldandy's humbled opinion.

Whilst doing the knitting, she couldn't help but send mental daggers to the object that seemed to taunt her, reminding her of words she thought ought not to be said. Not by Lind, a goddess who was in no position to say them.

"It really bothers you more than you want to admit, doesn't it?" The question came with a dull expression as Urd considered the little frozen ring made of angelic feathers. It was a vow of a lifetime, one that was both incredibly romantic, but also a touch foreboding.

"Lind should not lead Skuld astray." Belldandy said, having kept the ring a hidden truth, unwilling to get her youngest sister's hopes up. "Suppose that the higher courts do allow this union, it would still leave Skuld very lonely. The combat gods and goddesses of heaven are not known for their domestic lives."

"Lonely, huh?" Urd took a sip of tea at that, trying to wash away the bitter word. "Belldandy, I hate to be the one to say this, but Skuld has always been lonely." It came as no surprise that the tea wasn't strong enough to will away the ill feeling, nor that a sake bottle appeared on the table not a moment later.

"Aren't we all, at least to some degree?" Belldandy said then. "Some are indeed less lonely than others, but as immortals, we all go through a period of emptiness."

"I don't deny it." Urd agreed with vexed eyes that slid into hiding behind closed lids. "Skuld is different though. She's always had a chip on her shoulder, but, creation hasn't been very kind to her." In fact, Urd had to admit, Skuld had a very rough time of it. "As a woman, any way you look at it, she will never be given the same opportunities that you could have. Even I am seen as more desirable, as my looks lead others down the path of lust."

"I know that, Urd." Belldandy agreed, none too pleased with the assessment. "Why do you think I prayed so very hard that she would find someone faithful. someone who would require Skuld's attentions no matter what?"

"Yeah, well, maybe you should consider that heaven's just bent out of shape because they're as paranoid as you." She poured her sake in a glass, considering the clear liquid that went down warm and smooth. "Skuld comes from a strong bloodline, and Lind…" Urd licked her lips uneasily as she paused.

"Yes?" Belldandy's beseechingly stern gaze dug into her, and Urd sighed.

"Lind is a very strong goddess." Urd settled with darkly. "The kind of goddess that demands a particular amount of reverence. I'm sure that the higher-ups sought her to find a strong war god…someone able to build a strong, unwavering progeny."

"I have no doubts that you speak truth. However, as disheartening as that is, that still doesn't answer one very consuming question." Belldandy said, her voice growing quiet. "Of all the gods and goddesses there are to choose from, why choose Lind? Is it because Skuld is desperate? Does she feel the need to settle because no one gives her the time of day?"

"I don't know." Urd groused. "It has happened. We just have to make do with it."

"I don't like this." Belldandy finally admitted, feeling as if she'd just spat poison. "I feel as if we've not heard the last of this entire debacle, and as much as I want to be happy for them, all I can bring myself to feel is a sense of fear."

"Feel that way then." Urd shrugged. "In the end, it won't change the outcome. You know that just as well as I do."

"And that Urd, is why I feel so very powerless." Belldandy reasoned as she gazed at the ring on the table. "If only Lind would return, my fears could be eased, even if only slightly."

…

Weeks had gone by on earth with no sign of Lind in sight. Skuld's ability to stay calm was wearing thin, and so too was her temper. Skuld had mellowed out on her years of battle. Her knee-jerk reactions had cooled into a softly boiling rage that didn't bubble over quite so easily.

The only problem was, her ability to calculate matters no longer included merely electronics.

She was one of the best tacticians ever to grace the skies, and she was a ruthless fighter, much like Lind. Skuld's unflappable skill was only a question due to her age alone. It bothered her to just spend her days doing nothing, and sitting idly by. However, Lind's orders had been clear.

Stay put where her sisters could keep her safe.

And while it was true that Skuld was inclined to listen to Lind when it came to orders on the battle field, she was also strangely inclined to listen to Lind in other ways as well…ways that quite frankly, confused her. She was not some weak goddess who was unable to defend herself, and yet, she followed Lind's wishes anyway.

"Skuld please, do try to calm down." Belldandy begged as she sought cover from what she feared would be a very dangerous storm. It had been brewing relentlessly within Skuld's heart, and, her water was no longer mere droplets of scorn…

Far from it indeed.

"I should be up there." Skuld lamented, a ball of water forming in both of her fists, her anger heating to beyond a boiling point. "How long does it take to reach a verdict?"

"Perhaps several hundred years." Belldandy sighed, feeling lost within the raw power the youngest sibling exuded. "You must wait."

"Waiting is your skill." Skuld rebuked. "It's not mine." She began to pace. "Nothing good ever comes from waiting around for too long." The water in her hands evaporated into steam when her fists balled up even tighter. "I'm a warrior, I wait for orders and run drills…I don't sip tea and bake stupid cakes waiting for my husband to come home…" Gritting her teeth, she could taste blood from where she nipped into her cheek. "This is not the life I live anymore."

"It may be the life you return to." Belldandy said then, having come to that conclusion as she put her hands on Skuld's shoulders. "You can't share her battlefield…not if you wish to have more than a mere friendship." She felt unsure of the wisdom of her years and what she could possibly offer Skuld. "You are not a domestic goddess, and I understand that…however, a choice has to be made."

"I'd like to think I understand Lind very well by now." Skuld said as her hand lifted to her chest, realizing that some of her metals no longer had a place there. "She might seem unapproachable, but, really she's quiet and a little shy. Everyone sees her as a war goddess…in that way, she's really no different from me." Skuld swallowed hard, a mix of shame and longing clouding her normally bright eyes.

"Don't be silly." Belldandy tried to laugh, finding humor difficult. "You're nothing alike."

"Oh yes we are." Skuld shot back. "They don't see her as a woman either, but that's exactly what she is." Her cheeks colored in ways that she wasn't proud of as she pushed open her window in search of some fresh air, and to gaze out into the night sky. "She's a beautiful woman, and if anyone would just look at her, they would know that."

"Skuld, she's a woman who made a vow to the heavens…any happiness she might have had was something she willingly relinquished. In service to the heavens above, she made a promise to forgo particular relations." Belldandy said, trying to cling onto the simple truth. "It was an oath you took as well…is it really so easy to cast such a thing aside?"

"Of course not!" Skuld yelled, angry at first before weakness set in. "But, when you make an oath to the heavens, you make it because there's nothing left for you. You make it because all you have left is to fight…"

"Skuld..." Hearing it put that way made Belldandy feel ill.

"Some join to protect heaven, others to guard their families...but others do it because they want a swift demise." Skuld explained, her eyes hardening at a distant truth. "We have a doublet system to prevent deaths…but you and I both know there is one lifestyle on either side of that system that ignores that rule when the need arises…I would die for the heaven's sis…I would kill and be killed for my unit."

"So would Lind." Belldandy said softly. "It's a risk you face, if something were to happen to her..."

"I know." Skuld murmured. "I know that all too well….but, I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to be with her like the rumors say…"

"Skuld…the rumors…" Belldandy shook her head. "They speak blasphemy." The middle Norn said. "They tell of things that you would not believe even if I uttered them." She found herself suddenly feeling parched, not to mention a little green. This was not a topic she wanted to amuse. "I doubt you would even think to do what the rumors bespeak of you and Lind."

"Sis, I do think it." Skuld said all too quickly. "I desire it."

"Surely, you have not." Belldandy coughed a bit then, averting her gaze.

"I've sometimes thought about it." Skuld began very quietly. "I started by wondering what it would feel like to be touched like that…cradled in her angelic wings and brought to heights that a lot of married goddesses talk about."

"Skuld please, this is not something to prattle on so easily about…" Belldandy begged.

"Big sis, it's not easy." At that, Skuld's voice wavered as she cleared her throat. "But….you're my sister." Then a choked sob followed. "I thought if anyone would understand it would be you." She hated the sting in her eyes, how weak it made her feel….how worthless it forced her to seem. "Because you were with Keiichi…you chose him."

"Even so, I never spoke to you about topics of this nature." Belldandy said with a sigh, just as overwhelmed. "And even if you come to me about them…it isn't as if I have words of comfort for you. There is nothing I can do to remedy this issue, it all comes down to choices and fate. What can I possibly do?"

"The only reason you didn't talk to me back then, was because I was a stupid kid." Skuld shouted at her before her voice began to get harsh and quiet. "You told Urd…you guys would talk about this kind of stuff all the time." She turned to her older sister, fury and desperation flowing so freely from her eyes it was frightening. "Tell me I'm not crazy…that I'm not losing my mind…" Another hard sob tore through her. "That it's okay…"

Belldandy felt her chest constrict painfully at the sight of her sister. "You really do love her, don't you?" Belldandy was sure that it was a seemingly stupid question. Yet, it was one Belldandy felt she needed to ask, because with her sister it was often hard to tell the difference between exuberance of the moment, and pure unquestionable fact. "To love one another faithfully, that is not wrong." She said, coming to hold Skuld in a hug that was overdue.

"What about the other stuff." Skuld breathed, terrified of that answer.

"I'm sure it's merely youthful inquiry, Skuld." Belldandy said, hoping that was indeed the case, but also getting the distinct impression that it was not. "All young goddesses ponder about their future lovers."

"But that's the problem, it doesn't end there…it isn't just because I'm curious." She never thought she'd confess that to anyone, least of all Belldandy. "I know that because I want to be able to touch her too…to hold her in my own wings…and I don't want to let her go." Yet speaking it was like a balm she dearly needed for her breaking heart. "I want to hear the sounds she'll make, and taste more than her kiss, feel more than just her body, but also her soul's embodiment as well…to feel the glow of her angels too."

Belldandy closed her eyes, swallowing back an illness within herself. It was incredibly uncomfortable to hear such things spill from her sister's mouth, undeniably seeking a lover's embrace…and seeking it so terribly that it pained her. "You grew up on me." Belldandy murmured quietly. "And I never really noticed." When had Skuld's girlish demeanor faded? When had her childlike innocence abandoned her in favor of a woman's eyes and heart? Belldandy searched her memory, but found nothing there to indicate it.

"It is not wrong." Belldandy forced herself to say. "Now that Keiichi has grown older, it has become a bit more difficult to enjoy some of the same things we used to do. He's had a lifetime to reach those heights...however, as you know, my perception of our coupling has been a mere handful of decades, not even a blink of an eye, really." She coughed then, pulling away, and looking down to the ground. "I have never felt the caress of a heavenly body, nor have I ever made love to a woman…this is strange to me, Skuld." Belldandy admitted then. "I do not know how to comfort you, but I am sure that you are not crazy."

…

Misfortune was not exempt from entering the heavens. In fact, it not only threatened to do so on a continual basis, it often swept over the halls of the administration segment without difficulty. More often than not, it was a glitch, bug, or demon that ailed Peorth, driving her nearly insane. Sometimes, it would even be a wayward mortal or two...but very rarely could she admit that another goddess was the cause.

"For the love of the very creation that so birthed you, stop pacing." Peorth groused as she pushed her computer terminal away from her lap. "Sit down, and have a drink or something." Irately, she all but shoved Lind into a nearby arm chair.

"If I could stay calm, I would be." Lind said, her words monotone, although her stance was anything but that. "The fact of the matter is that I have a unit to lead and I can't do that cooped up here in your apartment."

"Well, you can't very well stay on base, and I'd rather not have to have you escorted into a holding cell." Peorth told her taking a seat across from her. "This is your only option for now." Scantily clad, she crossed one long leg over the other, resting her head in her palm. "Sooo, Skuld, huh?"

"What of it?" Lind asked then.

"Nothing, I was just thinking." Peorth said with a shrug. "She's a pistol."

"So are you." Lind observed.

"Duly noted." Peorth sighed, coming to the conclusion the Lind was in a very bad mood. "Interesting choice." If it were any other goddess gifted in combat, she would have been worried, but, she had a history with Lind. "You must be attracted to ladies who play with fire." Peorth grinned. "Although, if that's the case, there are others more befitting, wouldn't you agree?"

"I would, if it were not for one simple detail." Lind sighed, leaning forward, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "She's not a fling."

"I'm not saying she is." Peorth said with a roll of her eyes. "I'm just saying that at one time, your eyes looked elsewhere."

"We have different fates." Lind concluded, giving Peorth a pointed look. "You are not at all interested in my goals, and I have no interest in yours." With that easy statement out of the way, she sighed. "Skuld understands my drive and focus, she wouldn't find it difficult to understand my priorities as well. She even accepts where my loyalty and duty must belong."

"I never found it difficult." The dark haired goddess laughed. "I just can't tolerate anything less than being a first priority."

"You were never second." Lind murmured. "Nor third."

"Forth, fifth?" Peorth shot back. "Sixth?"

"It was your bed a slept in at night, you who I longed for." Lind said, a distance in her voice. "You I wrote letters to while deployed…you I returned home to." Lind licked her lips. "You who I worried for. It was not enough for you."

"It will be for Skuld?" Peorth shot back. "I think you're being too hopeful. She's young, and I'm sure she'd going to be a clingy goddess."

"She will not suffer as you suffered." Lind said then, standing and beginning to pace again. "Once it is within my power, I will go to her. I will not repeat the sins of my past."

"Lind, I do not condone this." Peorth said quietly.

"Because of what you and I once had?" Lind asked, assuming that to be the case.

"Because you are an insipid goddess." Peorth shot back heatedly. "You don't take the time to really fall in love with someone…that's not your style. I'm not saying that you can't…just that you don't know how to be in love."

"True." Lind said quietly. "I do not." Still, she stopped pacing. "However, even if I am incapable of putting down my duties for her, she does not ask that of me." With a soft scowl, she looked up to Peorth. "She merely requires that I return to her once my duties are done. In that, she completes me."

"Oh?" That caused a laugh from the administration goddess. "How so?"

"I will have a reason to return from combat, a person not of the blade who requires me." Lind explained as if it was really that simple. "It will make battle all the sweeter, and the desire to survive that much more important." Then, with a soft smile she shook her head. "And, it will give me one more good reason not to kill a demon in a fit of rage…least it be Skuld's doublet."

"Was I truly not enough?" Peorth asked then. "Is the unit and fighting really your lifeblood? I would have carried your children, if it would have kept you here."

"I am a warrior." Lind said. "That's all I know how to be…it's all Skuld understands as well. I do not deny we will inevitably make mistakes, but, perhaps she and I may learn this feeling…this emotion, strange as it is, together."

"Then let me give you a bit of advice." Peorth said quietly, standing from her seat, sashaying over to Lind expertly. "You walk out of that door, you go through your travel medium, and you take Skuld in your arms." She murmured, her arms wrapping around the stoic woman's neck and Lind stood unwaveringly still.

It hurt to see that Lind remained nonplused. "You kiss her until she weeps, and you make the dearest sweet love to her until the gray of dawn, murmur sweet nothings until the sun rises, and tell her how you really feel." She had to take a breath not to get lost in that cool, unfeeling gaze. "Because even if you do keep your license after the trials, you're going to face the judgment gate for this."

"So don't wait around." She released her hold, turned her back, and closed her eyes. "Go to her, Lind."

Lind stood still, torn between Peorth's words, and what she knew to be true, struggling with inner conflict. Finally, she sat back down in the arm chair, none too pleased about her choice. "I can't breech conduct any further." Lind said, her fingers tapping away at the upholstery. "If I could go to Skuld without any repercussions, I would without hesitation."

"I'm sensing a 'but' somewhere in there." Peorth said heavily.

"There is." Lind nodded, yet she gave no further insight.

"You have very little face left to lose." Peorth noted then. "Lind, you should go while you can."

"You believe I will cause an even greater risk if it suits my whims to do so." It was a marked statement filled with disappointment. "I will not." As she said this, she flicked her ear, where some of her most prized weaponry waited for her call. "As it stands now, I may yet avoid the gate of judgment, however in order to do so, I need to make amends to the council. I must please them, not to mention garner her father's utmost praise and approval."

"With all due respect, Lind….the gods and goddesses you are thinking to appease not only mutter of your offences, they view you with ill-repute." Peorth's report left much to be desired, but it was all the truth she had to gift.

"They believe me impulsive." Lind agreed. "I will not feed into that assumption. I am not, and, will never be a goddess so blind to the ramifications of my actions. I also refuse to believe that any goddess I choose would be so weak that she could not survive and endure anything that she may have to face." With that, a self-assured nod was all it took to finalize that one true belief. "I will stay now so that I may avoid more strife later."

…

"Lind!" A rather unhappy god called to her as she stood before his domain. She was a mere shadow of her former self. "Do you have any idea what trouble you've caused?"

"Yes." She said standing at attention.

"You do not even deny it?" He pondered, taken aback.

"What is there to deny?" She returned.

"A great deal!" The god boomed. "Do you know understand the accusations that befall not only you, but also my daughter?" His long hair cascaded over him, and with great unease, he pushed some long tendrils behind his back with a sigh. "She is young, this is no time for a smudge on her record."

"I am unable to apologize." She told him quietly, her head bowed to him. "Skuld wishes to remove herself from her position as a goddess of combat, and thusly shuns her title." She put some of her earrings on the floor before her, transformed into some of her most formidable battle gear. "She has gone so far to set her badge ablaze, so, she is no longer a concern."

"It does not save her from punishment." Tyr grumbled unhappily. "Nor does it save you from the fact that you've committed a grave offence to your duties and to the heavens you serve."

"I will face prison without fuss, if I must to prove my loyalty." Lind replied unwaveringly. "However, I come to you not as a refugee, but as a suitor." It was customary to ask for the father's blessing, but, even more than that, she needed to gain his good graces. She produced for him a gift she intended to offer to Skuld. The courting process of the heavens was a long one, and Lind intended to do so properly.

"The grace of any holy union may only be granted after a thousand years of courtship, Lind." Tyr told her with a shake of his head and wave of his hand.

"That is why I make my statement to you now." She told him, handing him the box, where the first customary gift lay waiting for his approval. "If it is in your will to do so, allow me to give this to Skuld and visit her. I am sure she is worried. The longer I remain absent from her side during these proceedings, the longer she wants for answers that will not come."

He considered this as he opened the box, confused. He expected that much like other suitors of the heavens Lind would have brought a gift of fine cloth, currency of some form, or perhaps the pelt of a large mythical beast to prove her worth and strength. Instead, he found the box to be quite barren, a bed of feathers the only thing inside. "You gift her molting?" He muttered, unimpressed.

"In battle, we often do not know when we will return, or, if we will return." Lind reported solemnly. "Yet, we know we can't simply deny our orders. Because we valkyries live very simple lives with hardly anything of value to gift, it is customary to imbed memories within our angelic feathers, and that memory is the gift we give to each other, and to our kin who await our return." She took the chance to look up to Tyr, who still seemed bothered and perplexed.

"This is not their responsibility." He told Lind.

"I gift her comfort, my lord." She pressed onward. "Comfort from herself, and from her doubts. That is a job as a suitor, is it not?" She asked of him, seeing that he nodded with an upraised eyebrow. "Those in her unit may never see her again, and if that is the case, she should know she was loved and respected. She must understand that they do not feel betrayed. The unit was her life."

Lind couldn't imagine the pain of rejection from the unit, as they were the only family and comfort a Valkyrie really had in times of war. "The unit is still my life…that shared bond, she must understand that her brothers and sisters of battle do not think the worst of her." With that at the forefront of her mind, she bowed deeply to him. "This is my proof to you, my utmost loyalty to my unit…and my desire to do what's best for Skuld…to be exactly what she needs, in every affordable way I can muster."

Not the most romantic gift, he thought, but he sighed in what could only be acceptance. "I expect better in the future." He told her, handing back the box. "You have earned yourself your first hundred years of courtship. Do not disappoint me."

"May I go to her?" She asked, looking almost hopeful.

"You must give a report tomorrow before a group of hand selected individuals regarding your crimes. After that, you may go until you are summoned again." He finally said, noticing something akin to distance joy. "However, you are not permitted to wield weaponry down on earth any longer. Leave your title, and what little authority you have left here in the heavens when you do return for your visit."

"Yes sir." Lind agreed, standing from her kneeling position.

"Oh, and Lind…" Try said slowly after a moment. "It is just a visit."

…

It was strange the way the stars glimmered in the sky. The view from earth made them seem like tiny, twinkling lights. Science made mention of the gasses and compressed matter that made up a star, but, in truth it was all a mere scheme. A trick of the mind, mere mortals would never understand the true nature of creation.

A good majority of them never even dared to try.

And maybe, that's what drew Belldandy to sit beside her husband, watching as he struggled with the future that awaited him. In spite of all the gifts heaven had blessed him with, he was merely a mortal. He would not understand the concepts of death that surrounded the greater creation around him. Instead, he fell to faith, to prayer, and to the truth that he would not and could not, live forever.

Belldandy often wondered if it was enough for him…asking him such a thing several times. His answer on this night, was the selfsame as every other time she posed the question.

"What more could I ask for?" He returned, looking upwards to the cloudless sky. "My life has been a fulfilling one, I have no regrets."

As always, Belldandy would smile at him but in truth, she felt the urge to cry. Mankind could not die regretless. It was an impossible feat that would not be accomplished. There was always something, a distant thing that remained locked away. A mortal had to desire, to covet, to seek. It was their nature, and, such a nature was within the man she loved.

Keiichi was fulfilled now, but she knew that eventually upon his sickbed that would change…and in his death, he would have no kin to mourn him. Belldandy often feared if she would be able to properly mourn a man whose life while precious, was not even a blink of eye when it came to her own longevity.

"I'm worried." He finally admitted, looking to her. "But not for myself."

"You have no one else to worry for." Belldandy told him softly.

"Yes I do." Keiichi returned, a kindness in his voice. "All of you. I know I'm a worrier, and that I probably shouldn't, but I worry for you most of all, Belldandy."

"Keiichi, listen…there is something you must understand about the workings of a goddess such as myself." Belldandy steadied herself, and took his hands in hers. "I am a goddess of the present. I am unable to mourn for any length of time, or rather if I did, it would damage the world tree. Urd has the luxury to hold a grudge, and to cling onto the past…but that is not within my nature."

"Maybe not." Keiichi laughed, but he didn't think it rightly mattered. "But you are not the type of goddess to simply bow down to what your nature tells you to do."

"That is also true." Belldandy relented, closing her eyes, shutting her emotions away from him.

"And that, Bell, is why I worry." He knew when she was about to cry, it wasn't as if such a thing was hard to tell. She did it so often. In great joy or relief, sadness and even anger, his wife was merely a crier. She always had been to his memory, and always would be. "Promise me that you won't dwell on me after I'm gone. That eventually, you'll move on and find some other form of happiness."

It was the first time he had made such a request, and when she opened her eyes, she could see a light coming towards them from a great distance…she could sense that light to be a goddess that was limited in power, explaining the slow arrival. There was only one who would be so limited, Belldandy knew, and it was another reminder that her world and life was rapidly changing in ways she had never expected to come.

If anyone were to have asked her a century ago if such events were to take place, she would have laughed. Now, she knew the truth. A century was a very strange amount of time. Not long enough for immortals to really measure, and far longer than most mortals to survive.

"I can't make a promise I know I won't keep. I'm sure I will dwell on you, even as the eons pass." Belldandy finally told him with a sigh. "However, Keiichi I do not intend to live my life in sadness either. If I find a new love or not is not something I'm willing to think of right now." She offered him a smile. "I know you have at least one more decade of life left in you, perhaps even two, fate willing."

"That is not long enough for you." Keiichi said. "It's not long enough for me, either. I know you count the days with dread, as if the bad news looms over this house."

"Yes…well, I've always done that. I'm a goddess who lives moment by moment. A nervous habit, I suppose." She said, trying to smile. "From the time I first met you, I began to count the hours and days as they trickled by."

Keiichi nodded, looking over to the one room in the house that had a lamp on, noticing the young woman pacing back and forth. "You are not the only one who seems to do that either."

"Lind is approaching, Skuld does not have long to wait." Belldandy surmised then.

That made Keiichi smirk. "But, she does have to wait…" With that, he pulled Belldandy into his arms. "That's why I worry for her too."


End file.
